Sunday, December 19, 2010

Dubrovnik, on the Dalmation Coast

Dubrovnik is a charming, walled city. This is the main street at night. It is called the Stradun or Placa. It was paved in 1468. The tower in the distance is the Franciscan Monastery, which dates to 1317.
This is a view of the Placa from the other direction, with the Franciscan Monastery on the left. This photo was taken from the town wall, and it shows the length of the old, walled city.
This view is the same as the first photo above, but during the day. The Placa is lined with cafes that are a meeting place for locals and an enjoyable resting spot for tourists. The Placa is much wider than most of the old pedestrian streets of Dubrovnik because it was constructed by filling in a marshy drainage channel that divided the town in the 1100's.
Another view of the Placa and the Franciscan Monastery at night. The Franciscan Monastery was constructed beginning in 1317, although it was reconstructed following a 1667 earthquake. It contains a pharmacy that has been in operation since 1317.
A view of the old town shows new tile roofs, evidence of the reconstruction by UNESCO and the European Union beginning in 1885 to repair the physical damage from the tragic shelling of Dubrovnik during 1991 - 1992, when more than 2,000 bombs and missiles fell in Dubrovnik during the conflict that followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia. In my office in Phoenix, Arizona, we have two delightful employees, a mother and a daughter, who fled this region during the war and resettled in the USA.
This narrow alleyway is part of the restaurant row that fills with people during lunch and dinner.
We stayed on a small cruise ship during our tour of the Dalmatian Coast, but fortunately it did not leave Dubrovnik until late in the evening. This allowed time to savor the nighttime atmosphere of the old city. Its harbor is well fortified from the Middle Ages, as this photo shows.
Dubrovnik was ruled by Venice from 1205 to 1358, and this building, the Sponza Palace, was built during that period and shows the influence of Venetian architecture. It carries the inscription in stone, in Latin, meaning "Falsifying and cheating with the weights is forbidden. While I am weighing the goods, God is measuring me." Dubrovnik became an independent nation in 1382 and was naval power, with more than 500 ships in its fleet.

8 comments:

Michael Rowland said...

These photos are great, what an eye, the top one jumps out, you can see the stars,,, M Canada

brattcat said...

These are wonderful. The night shots in particular seem to be dusted with silver and gold.

TheChieftess said...

the top two shots are especially lovely!!!

glenda said...

What a beautiful city, the pictures are a real inticement to visit.

Tash said...

Wonderful photos - I have not seen such nice night shots of the city before. Thanks for sharing the history too, also many new details for me. I love the photo of the Placa - where the generations (noticed the older women in black) and the people of many lands come together.

Unknown said...

The most beautiful photo of Dubrovnik I have ever seen is the one on top. Congratulations, it's truly amazing!

Anonymous said...

beautiful place, Dubrovnik.

Wonderful photos.

art is in the kitchen said...

Spectacular pictures to enjoy! Colors are a breath of fresh air! magnificent travelogue!

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